The pharmaceutical sector may not be a new frontier for air cargo, but few areas have seen such sustained strategic focus. For American Airlines Cargo, the transformation has gone well beyond packaging and cold chains. It is now about precision, reach, and rebuilding what Emma Oliver calls “personal proximity”, even in a digital-first sales environment.
Oliver, who oversees cargo sales for EMEA and APAC, says the company’s pharma product is delivering more than ever, and not just in select markets. “The area that’s really delivering for us at the moment is ExpediteTC,” she said.
“We’ve really been focusing on this over the last year for everything that we do to move pharmaceutical shipments, and as a result, we’re really seeing some great progress in that area.”
What’s notable, Oliver points out, is that this isn’t a regional success story.
“Pharmaceuticals has really continued to grow for us, and over the last year, we’ve seen a really strong trend in this area,” she said. “That has been system-wide, not just in one region, but across our system.”
Interview with Emma Oliver: watch online
Behind the scenes, much of this growth stems from the team’s evolving confidence with temperature-controlled handling.
“We really think that we’re experts in moving pharmaceuticals in a temperature-controlled environment, and it’s really great to see that translate to stronger performance in this area.”
Digital booking platforms have been a double-edged force across the industry, broadening access while potentially narrowing the sales relationship. For American Airlines Cargo, the shift has been both expansive and energising.
“As we’ve seen the digital platforms grow, we’ve certainly seen a wider range of customers being able to book and get in touch with American Airlines,” said Oliver. “As a result, we have a much wider portfolio of customers than we did before these platforms were so readily used and available.”
Rather than displacing traditional sales relationships, Oliver says the platforms have acted as a catalyst for deeper engagement. “I’m really glad to say that our sales teams have stepped up to this challenge, and we now have personal contacts with so many more customers than we did prior to the digital practice.”
The blind spot in the network
When asked to identify a persistent commercial blind spot, Oliver didn’t hesitate. “That’s the hard thing about blind spots, isn’t it? You can’t see them.”
But she’s seen enough to know where attention was lacking. “One of the biggest commercial blind spots that we’ve had in the past has been around interline and offline, being able to really deliver for the countries where we don’t have a direct service.”
That has now changed. “Over the last year, we’ve made a very strong focus in this area, partnering with other airlines to take interline as seriously as us so that we can ensure that our customers and the shippers are able to access the network that they need throughout the global system.”
Matching scale with accountability
A digital platform may open a door, but it doesn’t replace the need for service credibility once the shipment is booked. Similarly, a well-established pharmaceutical product must still prove its value lane by lane.
Oliver’s view on interline is especially telling in an era where many carriers tout global reach but downplay the complexity behind it. Her emphasis on “partnering with airlines who take interline as seriously as us” reflects a deeper strategic realignment.
This is less about patching network holes and more about delivering a consistent customer experience, even in geographies where American Airlines Cargo does not operate directly.
What emerges from Oliver’s interview is a picture of commercial cargo strategy grounded in clarity rather than buzzwords. There is no grand narrative about AI transformation or blockchain disruption. The focus remains on delivering consistently in high-stakes verticals like pharma, using technology to enhance rather than replace relationships, and addressing legacy inefficiencies with practical solutions.
As for the broader competitive landscape, Oliver’s comments suggest a cargo market increasingly segmented by execution rather than ambition. Those who invest in service consistency, network reliability, and customer visibility will shape the next chapter, not those who shout loudest about innovation.
